systems, apparatuses and methods are provided for object restraint including a trench; a pneumatic bending actuator (pba), the pba and the trench configured on the surface for clamping of the object to the surface; a part of the pba constrained in the trench and a part of the pba left unconstrained by the trench; a primary actuation mechanism for constraining in the trench the constrained part of the pba to remain flat at the surface for resting the object on the surface, and for leaving the unconstrained part of the pba configured as the curved segment to exert a clamping force to the object on the surface; and a secondary constraint mechanism to retain the constrained part of the pba in the trench to prevent a portion of the constrained part of the pba from exerting an upward force counter to the clamping of the unconstrained part of the pba.
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17. A pneumatic pop-up actuator system comprising:
a plurality of pneumatic pop-up actuators to hold an object, each of the pneumatic pop-up actuators configured with a body and a side containing an internal cavity for storing compressed air wherein the body and side are responsive to forces of the compressed air in the cavity;
the side of the pneumatic pop-up actuator configured to enable constraint in a trench in a non-popped state when not deployed, and to enable non-constraint from the trench in a popped state when deployed whereby during deployment, the body of the pneumatic pop-up actuator extends from a surface and the side extends from the body in a manner limited by the object and for holding the object to the surface; and
an array comprising at least one pneumatic pop-up actuator deployed in a manner to surround the object on the surface and a pneumatic pop-up actuator not deployed when located in a manner beneath the object on the surface wherein the pneumatic pop-up actuator beneath the object is blocked from deployment by the object; and further constraint by weight of the object wherein the weight of the object acts as an additional constraint by applying a downward force to the pneumatic pop-up actuator in the trench.
11. An apparatus for object restraint, the apparatus comprising:
a trench;
a pneumatic bending actuator (pba), the pba and the trench configured on a surface for enabling a clamping of the object to the surface;
a part of the pba constrained in the trench and a part of the pba left unconstrained by the trench wherein the constrained part is configured as flat on the surface and the unconstrained is configured as a curved segment protruding from the surface wherein the constrained and unconstrained part comprise: a substantial to an unsubstantial part of the pba;
a primary actuation mechanism for constraining in the trench wherein the constrained part of the pba remains flat at the surface for resting the object on the surface, and for leaving the unconstrained part configured as the curved segment to exert a clamping force to the object on the surface and for clamping the object to the surface; and
a secondary constraint mechanism to constrain the constrained part of the pba in the trench to prevent constrained portions of the constrained part of the pba from exerting an upward force counter to the clamping by the curved segment of the unconstrained part of the pba on the object, and to ensure that an output force from the constrained part of the pba is not enacted in a direction away from the surface.
1. An object restraint system for clamping an object to a surface comprising:
a trench;
a pneumatic bending actuator (pba), the pba and the trench configured on the surface for enabling a clamping of the object to the surface;
a part of the pba constrained in the trench and a part of the pba left unconstrained by the trench, wherein the constrained part is configured as flat on the surface and the unconstrained part is configured as a curved segment protruding from the surface wherein the part constrained is determined in part by a weight of the object clamped on the surface;
a primary actuation mechanism for constraining in the trench the constrained part of the pba to remain flat at the surface for resting the object on the surface, and for leaving the unconstrained part of the pba configured as the curved segment to exert a clamping force to the object on the surface and for clamping the object to the surface; and
a secondary constraint mechanism to retain the constrained part of the pba in the trench to prevent a portion of the constrained part of the pba from exerting an upward force counter to the clamping by the curved segment of the unconstrained part of the pba on the object, and to ensure that an output force from the constrained part of the pba is not enacted in a direction away from the surface.
2. The object restraint system of
3. The object restraint system of
a set of chambers, each chamber comprising a cavity for compressing an amount of air wherein the amount of compressed air enables the cavity to exhibit a set of a plurality of output forces in both a perpendicular direction and a lateral direction from the cavity for enabling the constraint of the pba.
4. The object restraint system of
an inextensible layer extends a side of the pba and is attached to only one side of each chamber of the set of chambers to enable the compressed air to flow to each chamber and to constrain only the one side of each chamber in response to output forces from the compressed air in each chamber while an opposite side not attached to the inextensible layer is not constrained and is responsive to forces of the compressed air in the chamber.
5. The object restraint system of
6. The object restraint system of
the curved segment of the unconstrained part of the pba is configured by a set of lateral forces pushing against each side wall of each chamber and an expansion of each chamber in the opposite site not constrained thereby resulting in a curvature design of the curved segment by an expansion of only the single opposite side while the constrained side does not expand.
7. The object restraint system of
a retaining lip configured within the trench to constrain the constrained part of the pba in the trench to remain flat at the surface wherein the surface of the trench is defined by the retaining lip.
8. The object restraint system of
a flare configuration for enabling further lateral expansion of each chamber of the pba wherein the flare configuration is a split in the middle of each chamber to enable each side of the flare configuration to exert opposing forces for the lateral expansion.
9. The object restraint system of
the side of the flare configuration constrained in the perpendicular direction by the lip to enable the constrained part of the pba to remain flat.
10. The object restraint system of
an array configured by a plurality of pbas to a set of configurations of pbas comprising: rotational, reflectional, double reflectional and localized symmetry of the each set for grip a variety of objects of different sizes.
12. The object restraint apparatus of
a set of chambers, each chamber comprising a cavity for compressing an amount of air wherein the amount of compressed air enables the cavity to exhibit a set of a plurality of output forces in both a perpendicular direction and a lateral direction from the cavity for enabling the constraint of the pba.
13. The object restraint apparatus of
an inextensible layer extends a side of the pba and is attached to only one side of each chamber of the set of chambers to enable the compressed air to flow to each chamber and to constrain only the one side of each chamber in response to output forces from the compressed air in each chamber while an opposite side not attached to the inextensible layer is not constrained and is responsive to forces of the compressed air in the chamber.
14. The object restraint apparatus of
15. The object restraint apparatus of
the curved segment of the unconstrained part of the pba is configured by a set of lateral forces pushing against each side wall of each chamber and an expansion of each chamber in the opposite site not constrained thereby resulting in a curvature design of the curved segment by an expansion of only the single opposite side while the constrained side does not expand.
16. The object restraint apparatus of
a retaining lip configured within the trench to constrain the constrained part of the pba in the trench to remain flat at the surface wherein the surface of the trench is defined by the retaining lip; and
a flare configuration for enabling further lateral expansion of each chamber of the pba wherein the flare configuration is a split in the middle of each chamber to enable each side of the flare configuration to exert opposing forces for the lateral expansion; wherein the side of the flare configuration constrained in the perpendicular direction by the lip to enable the constrained part of the pba to remain flat; and
an array configured by a plurality of pbas to a set of configurations of pbas comprising: rotational, reflectional, double reflectional and localized symmetry of the each set for grip a variety of objects of different sizes.
18. The pneumatic pop-actuator system of
the non-popped up state wherein the pneumatic pop-up actuator remains flush with the surface of the trench; and
a lip configured in the trench to restrain, by the side, the pneumatic pop-up actuator in the non-popped up state in the trench.
19. The pneumatic pop-actuator system of
the pneumatic pop-up actuators configured in the array in a manner to hold or retain objects between a set of at least one pneumatic pop-up actuator positioned at an array location wherein the pneumatic pop-up actuator holds or retains the object by being placed in the popped-up state.
20. The pneumatic pop-up actuator system of
the array of pneumatic pop-up actuators that hold or retain an object by at least one pop-up pneumatic actuator whilst the object resides over the surface containing at least one pneumatic pop-up actuator in a non-popped state thereby the array can accommodate objects of a variety of sizes and shapes that do not conform directly to a layout of the pneumatic pop-up actuators contained in the array.
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This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/650,857 entitled “SYSTEMS, APPARATUSES AND METHODS USING SELF-LIMITING INFLATABLE ELEMENTS FOR CARGO RETENTION”, that was filed on 30 Mar. 2018, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The technical field generally relates to cargo retention, and more particularly relates to an apparatuses, systems and methods with inflatable elements in an arrayed architecture for cargo retention in which the inflatable elements have self-limiting features which restrain or limit object motion by interfacing with objects of various shapes and sizes.
Object restraint is a common place issue faced across all commercial and non-commercial vehicle types today. Passengers, drivers, and other occupants often want to mount devices such as smart phones, tablets, and navigation systems to dashboards and seatbacks. In addition, such persons also desire to prevent cargo in the vehicle from tipping or sliding in a trunk and/or other storage compartment within the interior during the course of vehicle movements. Often is the case, that current available attachments are heavy, clunky, and obtrusive type devices, or are otherwise undesirable. In addition, such current attachments often are not feasible as these attachments have difficult and intricate configurations for installation, may not integrate properly or directly into a vehicle, and may not be workable solutions as the attachments are usually object-specific. Additionally, there is currently lacking an availability of non-object specific options which are easily deployable object constraint systems for vehicles. The choice of inflatable devices for use as a solution is an attractive choice because inflatable devices when implemented can be lightweight, easily stowed, and have self-deployment capabilities.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an apparatus and system apparatus with inflatable features and arrayed and flare architectures for cargo retention which include inflatable elements than provide features which self-limit object motion to restrain objects in positions and orientations originally set by a user or operator.
Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.
Systems, apparatuses and methods are provided for object restraints using arrayed inflatable features.
In one exemplary embodiment, an object restraint system for clamping an object to a surface is provided. An object restraint system for clamping an object to a surface includes: a trench; a pneumatic bending actuator (PBA), the PBA and the trench configured on the surface for enabling a clamping of the object to the surface; a part of the PBA constrained in the trench and a part of the PBA left unconstrained by the trench, wherein the constrained part is configured as flat on the surface and the unconstrained part is configured as a curved segment protruding from the surface wherein the part constrained is determined in part by a weight of the object clamped on the surface; a primary actuation mechanism for constraining in the trench the constrained part of the PBA to remain flat at the surface for resting the object on the surface, and for leaving the unconstrained part of the PBA configured as the curved segment to exert a clamping force to the object on the surface and for clamping the object to the surface; and a secondary constraint mechanism to retain the constrained part of the PBA in the trench to prevent a portion of the constrained part of the PBA from exerting an upward force counter to the clamping by the curved segment of the unconstrained part of the PBA on the object, and to ensure that an output force from the constrained part of the PBA is not enacted in a direction away from the surface.
In various exemplary embodiments, the constrained part includes: a range of the PBA from an insubstantial to a substantial part of the PBA, and the unconstrained part includes: a range of the PBA from an insubstantial to a substantial part of the PBA. The object restraint system, further includes: a set of chambers, each chamber including a cavity for compressing an amount of air wherein the amount of compressed air enables the cavity to exhibit a set of a plurality of output forces in both a perpendicular direction and a lateral direction from the cavity for enabling the constraint of the PBA. The object restraint system, further includes: an inextensible layer extends a side of the PBA and is attached to only one side of each chamber of the set of chambers to enable the compressed air to flow to each chamber and to constrain only the one side of each chamber in response to output forces from the compressed air in each chamber while an opposite side not attached to the inextensible layer is not constrained and is responsive to forces of the compressed air in the chamber. The constrained part of the PBA is constrained in the trench by the output forces in the lateral direction from each chamber of the PBA within the trench whereby the output forces of each chamber push against a side of the trench. The object restraint system, further includes: the curved segment of the unconstrained part of the PBA is configured by a set of lateral forces pushing against each side wall of each chamber and an expansion of each chamber in the opposite site not constrained thereby resulting in a curvature design of the curved segment by an expansion of only the single opposite side while the constrained side does not expand. The object restraint system, further includes: a retaining lip configured within the trench to constrain the constrained part of the PBA in the trench to remain flat at the surface wherein the surface of the trench is defined by the retaining lip. The object restraint system, further includes: a flare configuration for enabling further lateral expansion of each chamber of the PBA wherein the flare configuration is a split in the middle of each chamber to enable each side of the flare configuration to exert opposing forces for the lateral expansion. The object restraint system, further includes: the side of the flare configuration constrained in the perpendicular direction by the lip to enable the constrained part of the PBA to remain flat. The object restraint system, further includes: an array configured by a plurality of PBAs to a set of configurations of PBAs including: rotational, reflectional, double reflectional and localized symmetry of the each set for grip a variety of objects of different sizes.
In another exemplary embodiment, an apparatus for object restraint is provided. The apparatus includes: a trench; a pneumatic bending actuator (PBA), the PBA and the trench configured on a surface for enabling a clamping of the object to the surface; a part of the PBA constrained in the trench and a part of the PBA left unconstrained by the trench wherein the constrained part is configured as flat on the surface and the unconstrained is configured as a curved segment protruding from the surface wherein the constrained and unconstrained part include: a substantial to an unsubstantial part of the PBA; a primary actuation mechanism for constraining in the trench wherein the constrained part of the PBA remains flat at the surface for resting the object on the surface, and for leaving the unconstrained part configured as the curved segment to exert a clamping force to the object on the surface and for clamping the object to the surface; and a secondary constraint mechanism to constrain the constrained part of the PBA in the trench to prevent constrained portions of the constrained part of the PBA from exerting an upward force counter to the clamping by the curved segment of the unconstrained part of the PBA on the object, and to ensure that an output force from the constrained part of the PBA is not enacted in a direction away from the surface.
In various exemplary embodiments, the object restraint apparatus further includes: a set of chambers, each chamber including a cavity for compressing an amount of air wherein the amount of compressed air enables the cavity to exhibit a set of a plurality of output forces in both a perpendicular direction and a lateral direction from the cavity for enabling the constraint of the PBA. The object restraint apparatus, further includes: an inextensible layer extends a side of the PBA and is attached to only one side of each chamber of the set of chambers to enable the compressed air to flow to each chamber and to constrain only the one side of each chamber in response to output forces from the compressed air in each chamber while an opposite side not attached to the inextensible layer is not constrained and is responsive to forces of the compressed air in the chamber. The constrained part of the PBA is constrained in the trench by the output forces in the lateral direction from each chamber of the PBA within the trench whereby the output forces of each chamber push against a side of the trench. The object restraint apparatus, further includes: the curved segment of the unconstrained part of the PBA is configured by a set of lateral forces pushing against each side wall of each chamber and an expansion of each chamber in the opposite site not constrained thereby resulting in a curvature design of the curved segment by an expansion of only the single opposite side while the constrained side does not expand. The object restraint apparatus, further includes: a retaining lip configured within the trench to constrain the constrained part of the PBA in the trench to remain flat at the surface wherein the surface of the trench is defined by the retaining lip; and a flare configuration for enabling further lateral expansion of each chamber of the PBA wherein the flare configuration is a split in the middle of each chamber to enable each side of the flare configuration to exert opposing forces for the lateral expansion; wherein the side of the flare configuration constrained in the perpendicular direction by the lip to enable the constrained part of the PBA to remain flat; and an array configured by a plurality of PBAs to a set of configurations of PBAs including: rotational, reflectional, double reflectional and localized symmetry of the each set for grip a variety of objects of different sizes.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, a pneumatic pop-up actuator system is disclosed. The system includes: a plurality of pneumatic pop-up actuators to hold an object, each of the pneumatic pop-up actuators configured with a body and a side containing an internal cavity for storing compressed air wherein the body and side are responsive to forces of the compressed air in the cavity; the side of the pneumatic pop-up actuator configured to enable constraint in a trench in a non-popped state when not deployed, and to enable non-constraint from the trench in a popped state when deployed whereby during deployment the body of the pneumatic pop-up actuator extends from a surface and the side extends from the body in a manner both limited by the object and to hold the object on the surface; and an array including at least one pneumatic pop-up actuator deployed in a manner to surround the object on the surface and the pneumatic pop-up actuator not deployed when located in a manner beneath the object on the surface wherein the pneumatic pop-up actuator beneath the object is blocked from deployment by the object; and further constraint by weight of the object wherein the weight of the object act as an additional constraint by applying a downward force to the pneumatic pop-up actuator in the trench.
In various exemplary embodiments, the pneumatic pop-actuator system, further includes: the non-popped up state wherein the pneumatic pop-up actuator remains flush with the surface of the trench; and a lip configured in the trench to restrain, by the side, the pneumatic pop-up actuator in the non-popped up state in the trench. The pneumatic pop-actuator system, further includes: the pneumatic pop-up actuators configured in the array in a manner to hold or retain objects between a set of at least one pneumatic pop-up actuator positioned at an array location wherein the pneumatic pop-up actuator holds or retains the object by being placed in the popped-up state. The pneumatic pop-up actuator system, further includes: the array of pneumatic pop-up actuators that hold or retain an object by at least one pop-up pneumatic actuator whilst the object resides over the surface containing at least one pneumatic pop-up actuator in a non-popped state thereby the array can accommodate objects of a variety of sizes and shapes that do not conform directly to a layout of the pneumatic pop-up actuators contained in the array.
It is noted that in various embodiments, the method contains steps which correspond to the functions of one or more of the various embodiments of the object constraint system described above.
The exemplary embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the application and uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. As used herein, the term module refers to any hardware, software, firmware, electronic control component, processing logic, and/or processor device, individually or in any combination, including without limitation: application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitable components that provide the described functionality.
For the sake of brevity, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent example functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in an embodiment of the present disclosure.
The systems, apparatus and methods for object constraint include the features of sequential inflation for limiting and retention, and various element architectures with the locking feature integrated in array structures for use across cargo surfaces.
While the disclosure describes object constraints using arrayed inflatable features particularly for use in vehicles, it is contemplated that the present disclosure is applicable to object restraint or constraint in a variety of vehicle types, as well as for use in a non-vehicular environment. That is, the present disclosure and object constraint systems, apparatuses and methods applicability should not be construed as limited to vehicular use but have applicability in a variety of different environments and settings.
Creating storage solutions for the retention and location of the wide variety of objects and sundries an occupant may bring into a vehicle involve a variety of factors. For example, the features may include self-limiting/locking features within the inflatable array elements allow for retention of objects with various form factors and aspect ratios.
On the surface, the average driving experience is largely dictated by externalities: weather or traffic conditions, or by vehicle performance: acceleration, responsiveness, braking, etc., and these traits often control the perception of the quality of a trip. For instance, if asked, “How was your trip?” common responses could sound like: “Awful, traffic was a nightmare,” or “Nerve-wracking, the roads were icy,” or even “Great, my new car handles like a dream.”
However, anything more than a cursory observation of this action will reveal that there is far more going on inside the vehicle that impacts the modern driving experience. That is, the drivers, passengers and occupants perform a variety of actions in the interior of a vehicle; for example, drivers, passengers and occupants listen to audio, maybe through the radio or an mp3 player; transport objects such as groceries or maybe tools for work; navigate using GPS devices; drink a coffee or eat fast-food; talk on the phone etc. A common occurrence seen when occupants perform these actions is that occupants are bringing items into the vehicle that impact the occupant's driving experience by enabling the driver to perform additional tasks while in the vehicle.
During the course of operation and movement of a vehicles, objects in the interior (and for that matter also in the exterior) may need to be constrained to prevent damage of the objects from commonly experienced bumps, jerks etc. from the vehicular motion. Also, the type of constraint used may vary by object; some, like a GPS or smart device, may need to be constrained in a position where a driver can see a screen and easily interact with it, while other things, such as groceries for instance, may simply need to be held in place as to not spill or break in any arbitrary location.
There have been many different solutions traditionally used to counter this issue; that is, such object constraint system or attachments can be found in a plethora of different forms. For example, a broad categorization may include a first category defined as pockets or storage box constraints which are integrated or built into a vehicle console or dashboard. For example, such constraints can include compartments of a glove box, a seat-back pockets, or a cup holder. While such constraints may be considered object non-specific (i.e. any arbitrary chosen object with a small enough size may be placed into one of such compartments) and can be reasonably achieve constraining objects from movement during vehicular motions, these types of restraints are not all encompassing of a particular object. These constraints often do not allow for easy visibility or access to the object constrained. For example, it is not often desired to place a GPS device inside a glove compartment and have an expectation of use of the device while driving the vehicle. Other restraints include volume constraints for groceries; while groceries do not require user interaction while being transported, the use of seatback pocket is not feasible because of size limitations which in turn affects overall usefulness.
Another subset of traditional vehicle attachments is object mounts. These can be considered after-market additions to a car that are designed to hold a specific object in a certain location/orientation; usually in a place where a driver can see or touch the object which is mounted. An example, of such mounts are dashboard mounts for smart devices. While the specialization of this particular mount is specific to the object mounted, such mounts are often considered successful by a user for the intended purpose. However, a significant drawback is the necessity of such mounts to be object-specific, which means requiring a user to purchase a different mount for each device type requiring constraint. For example, a group may include plural users such as in instances of a family of several members each having a device requiring a mount in a vehicle. In this case, each member has a different kind of cellphone and wants to easily access them when driving to control their music. Each of these devices will require its own specific mount, which may all need to be placed around the same general dashboard area. Further, each mount will also only be useful during the fraction of time the user with the paired device is driving the vehicle, and when not in use valuable real estate on the dashboard is wasted. There are mounts that attempted to cater to multiple devices but with limited success and it can still be said these are highly specialized within the scope of all objects that are constrained in vehicles. That is, one could not use such mounts and attachments to hold, for example a beverage or soda can.
A third category of object attachments can be defined as cargo constraints. These are constraints that include rails, mounting points for ratchet straps, cargo mats and constraints used for larger and heavier objects. While these cargo constraints are generally strong, they are also heavy and can require intricate or extensive configurations in the vehicle for use which in turn can pose difficulties or even impossibilities to reconfigure if needed while driving. These types of constraints are also not easily adaptable or adoptable for smaller or more delicate objects.
Therefore, it is desirable to have cargo restraints that do not suffer from the above drawbacks which include obtrusive design, object specificity, weight, and difficulty to manually configure or re-configure.
It is desirable to have cargo constraints that overcome these drawbacks and are lightweight, object-independent, easily engaged, can be stowed in a non-obtrusive manner, and can hold objects at specific orientations/positions.
Inflatable, or soft-robotics based grippers provide an attractive solution. Inflatable devices are inherently lightweight and can be stored in small packing volumes when deflated. Internal pneumatic-networks allow for complex motion to be actuated from less sophisticated control (inflation) and thus potentially allowing for less difficult manual configuration. Additionally, the inclusion of an inflatable device could be a unique feature that vehicle manufactures could use as a selling point.
Inflatable grippers include a class of Pneumatic Bending Actuators. A Pneumatic Bending Actuator (PBA), also commonly referred to as Pneumatic Curling Actuator, Soft Pneumatic Actuator, or PneuNet actuator is essentially a ‘finger-like’ soft actuator composed of two parts bonded together: a hollow, elastic half that can inflate, and a flexible yet inelastic (strain-limiting) half. The inflation and subsequent elongation of one side causes the actuator to curl around the more inextensible side. Internal pneumatic networks that are more complex than a simple hollow chamber can be implemented to improve the performance (actuation speed, force output, etc.) or alter the behavior (twisting, ‘corkscrew’ bending, etc.). These actuators are amenable to a variety of sizes and shapes and are relatively simple and cheap to make.
In various exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatuses for object constraint within vehicles that utilizes inflatable systems, which can be lighter, easier to deploy/store, and more adaptable to different object sizes and shapes, that are currently lacking for various reasons including heavy, difficult configuration, object specific, etc.
In various exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatuses for object constraint using Pneumatic Bending Actuators, while introducing a design implementation that invokes a secondary actuation process caused by the flaring of chambers of the PBA. This actuation is combined with a housing ‘trench’ to create a locking mechanism that prevents actuation of constrained portions of the PBA, which is done in order to ensure its output force is not enacted in any direction away from the surface, which would undermine its clamping potential. These components combine to form a modular element, arranged in various patterns on a mounting plate to create a larger array, which is more versatile in gripping larger objects.
That is, part of each PBA 10, 20, 30 is reconfigured from a flat position from a state where the entire length 5 of the PBA lies flat unconstrained within the length 9 of the trench 15; to a curved position where a part of the PBA 10, 20, 30 extends out of the trench 15 at a curved angle 12 as example for PBA 10. In this case, part 19 of the PBA 10 extends out of the trench 15 while part 17 of the PBA 10 remains within the trench 15. The chambers 11 are constrained as a flare between a center portion of each chamber (i.e. each chamber is divided in half) is by a perpendicular force imparted by the sides of the trench 15 that presses the chamber sides together and enables the chambers 11 to exert an outward lateral pressure or force when in the trench 15 to be held within the trench 15 in a constraint position. In addition, this design implementation invokes a secondary actuation process caused by the flaring of chambers 11 themselves of the PBA. This actuation is combined with a housing ‘trench’ to create a locking mechanism that prevents actuation of constrained portions of the PBA, which is done in order to ensure its output force is not enacted in any direction away from the surface, which would undermine the PBA clamping potential.
In various exemplary embodiments, the part 17 which remains with the trench 15 is attached or interlocked into the trench 15. The curved angle is increased in curvature where the part of the PBA outside of the trench 15 is further configured in a more curvature position as shown in by curved angle 21 for PBA 20 and curved angle 32 for PBA 30. The curved angles of the part of the PBA outside the trench 15 are configured like figures to enable sets of PBAs to perform actions like hold and gripping of items.
In various exemplary embodiments, a weight of the object (not shown) on the retaining features of the PBA 20 can determine a part of a gripping feature (i.e. the curved angle 21 of the PBA that grasps an object (not shown)) is constrained in the trench 15 versus the part that is deployed. In general, the PBAs 20 are configured for gripping fingers (i.e. part of the PBA outside of the trench 15) to initially deploy at onset of an activation; and those gripping fingers that are blocked or partially blocked by the object (as a result of the object weight blocking the deployment in the upward direction) redirect the deploying operation to a full or partially constraining operation for each respective gripping finger. In an exemplary embodiment, in this manner, each of the gripping fingers that surround the object on a surface can be deployed to restrain the object, but PBAs which found below an object on the surface are self-constraint and are prevent from upward movement to exert opposing forces to lift or move for an initial position of the object.
Each of the pneumatic bending actuators (“PBAs”) in particular configurations can be used to grip small objects such as fruit, vegetables, or other non-standard, but similarly sized objects. In various exemplary embodiments, such convenient grips positioned within the interior of a vehicle can enhance the driving experience by enabling items easily attached to vehicle for holding and using by the occupants of the vehicle.
The different arrays of PBAs in
The pneumatic network design for each set of the arrays 410, 420, 430 and 440, requires that all of the elements (i.e. PBAs) are connected to a single pump and are inflated simultaneously. In various exemplary embodiments, while each of the arrays include sets of PBAs that are uniformly or independently controlled and configured to enable a multitude of support, hold and gripping operations of different types of objects as desired. The connections of the PBAs in each of the arrays in series or in parallel have not been observed to affect the speed or stability of the inflation process of each PBA. The tubes to connect to the PBAs are connected underneath the mounting plate. The size of the arrays 410, 420, 430 and 440 were limited to twelve total components (i.e. PBAs), however each design was created and contemplated to have the potential to continuously expand in all directions with any number of PBAs. That is, in various exemplary embodiments, it is contemplated, that multiple sets and large configurations of similar as well as other designs can be implemented and the 4 array designs of
As illustrated in
The limiting constraint that may result in the fabrication process is the pot life of the silicone, which is 30 min. As such, it's only feasible for one person in this exemplary process to mold two PBAs with each batch. To begin the process, the silicone elastomer, which comes in two parts, is combined. 50 g (5 g part A, 45 g part B) are poured into a 600 mL glass jar and mixed by hand, then the mixture is placed in a paint mixer for an additional 2 minutes to ensure homogeneity. A centrifuge could alternatively be used. Once the mixture is consistent, it needs to be degassed. The mixture is placed into a vacuum and pressurized to >1.0 MPa for ˜12-15 minutes. The mixture will expand during this process, pouring more than 50 g into a 600 mL jar will increase the risk of overflow. After this allotted time, the mixture is removed from the vacuum; no bubbles should be hereafter observed. The mixture is then poured into a medical syringe; the plunger is removed to allow the material to be more easily poured in. The needle is removed to achieve a larger opening for the more viscous material.
Using this syringe, the material is poured into the Lower Cavity Mold 505 in Stage 1 of
Next, the intake tube is added to the main cavity. A thin blade is used to cut a small X shape in the bottom of the intake chamber. A ˜1.5″ section of tubing is cut and a rigid rod is inserted into this tube. Together, this rod and tube are poked through the X in the Intake chamber, and the rigid rod is subsequently removed leaving the intake tube in the main cavity component. The tube is bonded to the silicone component using the Sil-poxy. The Intake Chamber is filled with the Sil-poxy, while an additional thin rim it added to the outside. This is allowed to dry for 5 min.
An additional 20 grams of the elastomer is subsequently prepared following the previously described procedure. This new material is poured on top of the contact surface 510 (of
The characterization will focus on measuring the perpendicular holding force (normal to the surface) that each of the four specified array configurations can generate relative to the size of the constrained object (and thus relative to number of engaged PBAs and the level of constraint for each). A basic 2-PBA configuration was characterized to serve as a baseline and later develop a predictive model.
In
For this experiment, square prisms of various sized bases and heights are placed onto each array in the location where the most ‘fingers’ (i.e. 650 as an example) can grip it. For some configurations, this is a constant location, while for others it varies for different base sizes. Once located, the PBAs are inflated and a load is applied at the center of the object, perpendicularly out from the array surface. As this load is increased, the vertical displacement (on the line 640) of the object from the array surface is recorded. The load is increased until the object is released and a force vs. displacement curve is plotted.
The load is applied using a simple pulley system 660; a line is hooked into the constrained object, and precision weights (not shown) are applied to the other end. The mounting plate is screwed into the fixture and sliders allow the location pulley to be adjusted in the x and y directions such that is centered over the object.
Five object base sizes were measured: 40 mm, 60 mm, 80 mm, 100 mm, and 120 mm. The 40 mm plate allows the PBA to bend completely unconstrained when placed in the center of two elements on the mounting plates, while the 120 mm plate essentially constrains the two elements completely. For each base size, six different object heights were tested: 3 mm, 6 mm, 9 mm, 12 mm, 15 mm, and 18 mm. Objects were laser cut from 3 mm thick Acrylic, the height was increased by stacking additional plates.
For each trial, the tested object is placed in the desired location and the pulley is adjusted to be centered over the object. The PBAs are then inflated to 15 psi, gripping the object, and weights are then added to the other end of the line until the object is released. A camera tracks the displacement of a marker in the line, which is equal to the displacement of the object. This is repeated for each combination of array configuration and object size with a force vs. displacement curve being plotted for each.
In various exemplary embodiments, in
Based on these results, a predictive model may be created to estimate array performance for a specific object size; and therefrom to determine an optimal array configuration for a given object, which is particularly useful. From the 2-finger analysis, the curve may be determined for each level of constraint observed in our study. It is inferred from the plots of specific trials that the force required to achieve the same level of displacement scales linearly as additional PBAs are engaged.
In
The Force vs. Displacement curves in the graphs for each array with the predictive model curves overlaid is shown in
The array 2, exhibits the simplest configuration with uniform overlap, and is the only array (out of the array 1-4 designs) from graphs (
While this model of graphs 7L-7O may not account for all the dynamics within larger array structures, they present a useful reference in designing configurations of arrays and predicting their performance. In various embodiments, this practice may also be used to develop an array with specific properties. PBAs with different levels of constraint act stiffer at different levels of vertical displacement, so this knowledge may be used to specifically stagger the PBAs such that this stiff region occurs at a desired range of displacements.
In various embodiments, depending on the level of constraint and height of the object, the PBA is concealed on the outward face of the object, which in the case of smart devices would be the screen. This could potentially be mitigated by configuring the array in such a manner that concealment is minimized, but this may inherently have an effect on the holding performance as well and may also result in the independence of the attachment to the object attached during design implementation stages.
In various exemplary embodiments in the pop-up cargo/object retention devices, the PA pop-up devices 940 are partially deployed so chamber 903 in
In various exemplary embodiments, the PA pop-up devices 940 operate in a similar manner to the PBA embodiments by: (1) placing an object placed on a field of the PA pop-up devices 940; inflating each PA pop-up device 940; and (2) enabling only PA pop-up devices surrounding the placed object to deploy and thereby locating the object and identifying a shape configuration at the edges of the object with the field; (3) not deploying the PA pop-up devices 940 below the object by virtue of a blockage caused by the undersurface (i.e. the object) of the placed object, and enabling the extending of the constraining features on the PA pop-up device 940 that is constrained or locked in the trench; and that lock into trench features; and (4) extending the constraining features (i.e. parts of the PA pop-device not release in the entirety) of the PA pop-up devices 940 that did to release or pop up by virtue of their position to act as additional retention features for hold the object.
In various exemplary embodiments, the size and details of each pop-up PA will be related to the relative size of an object (i.e. cargo) which is intended for restraint. With pop-up PAs ranging in size from 5 mm to 25 mm in diameter and an array spacing of 5 mm to 150 mm between each pop-up PA for use in restraining objects than include: small sundries like keys, pens and pencils, cell phones/small electronics, cups and mugs, etc. for surfaces located within the surface (ex. the surface of a vehicle interior; or for bulkier cargo that may be hauled within a pickup truck bed), the pop-up PA could range in diameter from 50 mm to 200 mm arrayed 50 mm to 800 mm apart. Within these two scaler extremes there are trends in sizing that become tied to the geometry of the pop-up PA and the array in which it is configured. In general, the final deployed height of the pop-up PA can range from 75% of the pop-up diameter to 500% of its diameter. Additionally, the out-of-plane displacement of a pop-up PA will be limited by the trench depth, ranging from 0.5 to 5 times the trench depth. Increased out-of-plane extension capabilities drive the diameter of the pop-up PA towards its upper bound because of the additional material needed to accommodate the extension. The self-limiting features of the pop-up PA chamber and trench will be dictated by array spacing, with extensions ranging from 10% to 200% of the distance between adjacent pop-up devices and trenches nominally equal to or less extensive than the interfacing extension. Secondary bump/restraining features are limited in their extension capabilities from 10% to 200% of the base pop-up PA chamber diameter. This is due to geometric factors limiting the amount of material packable in or around the main chamber which can be allotted to these features; as well as the extensibility of the material comprising the chamber.
In
As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.
In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively.
While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims and the legal equivalents thereof
Luntz, Jonathan E., Alexander, Paul W., Brei, Diann, Velleu, Jesse
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